The news that is coming out of the disaster from the earthquake is mind-boggling, it's certainly the largest natural disaster since I've been alive (1965).

I read today that the death toll is up over 114,000 as a result of the quake, and with water born diseases starting to increase, the worst may be yet to come. Man I feel sorry for all those affected by this earthquake. This unfortunate event will go down infamously.

The City of Spokane (Within the city limits) has a population of about 190,000 I can't imagine over half of those people dying in one single event. The after affects of this, the disease and the deaths associated with it are of such huge proportions I can't even get my mind around it to understand it.
Would you describe this as a disaster of "Biblical Proportions" whatever that means.
jesse clark

One part of this that makes me sooo sad is that US has only put up 34Mil in funds(people in the states win that amount in the lottery), yet we have spent 204Bil in Iraq. Watching the clips on the news are just unreal to even think about, the one where the guys wife gets swept away as he clings on to the rescurer. . . . I made sure to give me wife some extra attention this morning before we left to work. . .you just never know (knock on wood). I feel so bad for those poeple, while we are so lucky to live in the states (or for some of you in BC, the provinces). What a loss of life, what to do. . .it leaves me just feeling . . . . . . . about the world. . . .

I remain awestruck over this. I remember the Alaska quake. I have studied photos of the aftermath of the tsunami that struck Hilo, Hi. What a horrible thing to be taken by surprise by such a thing. A terrible tragedy for all those victims and their families. The relief effort will have to be huge.
News commentators quoted experts as saying that Westport and other coastal residents would have about 15 minutes to make it to high ground. I'm seriously thinking of moving, as I'm less than 10' above sea level, and the two dunes between my place and the Pacific wouldn't stop a big one.
The times of full and new moons are considered to be "seismic windows," and this happened during one (full moon this last Sunday).

An event of this magnitude sure gets you to thinking, doesn't it? Geologic records along the Washington and Oregon coast indicate that these mega-waves are a fairly frequent occurance. Some have sheared the trees in coastal forest like a scythe cutting wheat for a significant distance inland. Much of the perceived value of coastal property worldwide is based on a calm and benign ocean that is a source of recreation rather than destruction. Many people will begin to rethink this proposition in the months to come and wonder just what their chances are should such an event strike their area. I can't help but think of Floridians who are already in the path of devastating hurricanes and what their chances would be in the face of a tidal wave. The highest point in the state is 345' above sea level! I have more elevation gain on my property than they have in the entire state!

Discoveries about the effect of this quake will probably be made for years to come as the scientific data begins to flow in from around the globe. As an armchair geologist this is fascinating event to watch unfold in terms of tectonic plates and earth movement on a grand scale.

But as a human being it is just horrible to behold in terms of the enormous human suffering it has incurred. I have been waking up at night and just agonizing over the loss of life, infrastructure and total devastation of culture. No one who lives through this will ever look out over the Pacific Ocean again and not see a monster lurking. Paradise Lost indeed. Ive

This is the worst thing I've ever seen. I am haunted by the horrifying scenes I saw on the news last night, which continue this moment as I sit here in my comfy office sipping my vanilla latte. I think, I wish there was something I could do to help. And there is. All of us can.

You can go to any number of relief organization websites and pledge money. If you don't have one you trust, www.redcross.org is a good place to start. I gave this morning through World Vision at www.worldvision.org. You can't drop what you're doing and hop a plane to give vital assistance like many of the amazing doctors I've been reading about. But your money represents your time and your labor, and you can give it generously. I urge everyone on this site to give liberally and soon. Do it today and you'll get the 2004 deduction.

And to those who have expressed concern that our government hasn't pledged enough. Just wait. At the end of the day, the U.S. will be the largest contributer. Again. As we should be.

My wife and I have been just sick about this. I could not believe the footage of family’s literally being ripped from each others arms by rushing water. Seeing a mother and father in agony as they sat beside their dead little toddler son of 2 or 3yrs of age.... I just had to hold back the tears and held my own little sons a little closer...

There are many churches, charities, corporations, and private individuals who are organizing various ways to help out. Clothing, food, water, money, workers, etc. I felt a little warm spot in my heart as I drove home last night and passed a couple young boys standing in the cold rain on their street corner holding a sign that said "hot chocolate for tsunami relief effort".

The monetary implications of this disaster areimpossible to quantify or understand. I don't think there is enough money in the world to fix this problem. The many billions of dollars that will be needed just to stabilize the areas that were devastated wont begin to rebuild the dwellings and businesses that were lost. I believe the United States will again be the largest contributor to the relief effort, not only as a nation, but as individual contributors and personnell sent to the area to help. Unfortunately no matter how much we give or how much we help or how much we care, there will be people and nations that will think it is not enough. Fortunately that wont stop us from helping. The U.S. and its people as a whole really docare about the world community. I dd not say these things to spark a debate or expect a response it is just my ramblings.
jesse clark

My wife was sitting on the couch crying as we watched the tube last night. The only other time I've seen her doing that was after 9/11. We don't have a lot of money laying around, but some of it will certainly be going to help those folks. I hope the Federales feel the same way. Its our duty as citizens of the world to help in situations like this.
I cannot think of a better way to put the Abraham Lincoln to use than to send it over there to help in whatever way they can.
Terrible...terrible...

Wobbled the planet as most of you know. If it had happened in the sound, the death toll could be equally challenging for the mind to accept. I mean, people in Vancouver, B.C. would have died!

I've got three hundred feet of elevation under my belt here at home but I just don't even want to think about such a catasrophe here. 9.0. One hundred times times greater than a 8.0 which is one hundred times times worse than a seven and so on. A 5.0 would cause untold loss of human life and property were it to strike Seattle. (Special thanks to Chris, for setting me straight on this). This just in from the boss:
Well, I'm a little off....

The Richter scale is logarithmic, that is an increase of 1 magnitude unit represents a factor of ten times in amplitude. The seismic waves of a magnitude 6 earthquake are 10 times greater in amplitude than those of a magnitude 5 earthquake. However, in terms of energy release, a magnitude 6 earthquake is about 31 times greater than a magnitude 5.

I'm sending some bucks to the American Red Cross. Yes, I know what you are thinking--they are theives, bandits, and scoundrels. But maybe, even if you are right, at least a few dollars will get through to those who made it but have ruined lives ahead. I don't know what else to do.

I guess it's guilt that motivates me. I don't want to have been alive during the worst catastrophe in human history and have done nothing to help. I am so sorry that Bush missed such an opportunity to show the Islamic people that we care for them by not coming out right away with air force help and human aid. Sort of what I would have suspected; he slept while people screamed.

I don't hate Arab people in general. They are my brothers and sisters as well as you are. I would like to think that I would help you if you needed me. The dream of a world community that genuinely cares for others is years away. But it must come for any of us to know any happiness.

Gotta agree with Bright Rivers. (Can you believe it?) Donations to worthy NGOs are a good way to help. There's a good list in the Seattle Times today; was one in the New York Times yesterday. Took me all of two minutes to make a donation to Mercy Corps yesterday. As someone who once lived through a big earthquake (and lost most of my possessions in the process), I can tell you this can be a big help.

This quake boggles the mind in its power and devastation. I read yesterday that some scientist believes that it may have permanently affected the speed of the earth's rotation and caused some additional tilt in the earth's axis. Some islands in the area moved quite a bit. It is a sober reminder of nature's awesome power.

The death toll is 117,000 and rising at this hour. One of the things that bothers me is an article I read a couple days ago about the high cost of medical evacuations for relatively well-to-do Americans from the affected areas to better equipped hospitals in major population centers. Here's a quote from the article in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal:

"Mrs. North also called the U.S. embassy in Bangkok, which gave her the name of a company that airlifts people from hospitals, and she arranged for a $10,000 medical evacuation to get Libby [Mrs. North's daughter] to the hospital in Bangkok."

"Mrs. North is still trying get Libby out of Thailand. One Cleveland hospital she called offered to send a plane with two medical personnel for $160,000. Now she's headed there herself, but she is still concerned about how to get Libby back home safely. She wants to use an airlift service, but she isn't sure where she will get the money."

The notion of a medivac flight for the cost of an average home in Cleveland is quite troubling.